Hello Members and Readers! We have just wrapped up another successful Conference and have many big things on the horizon. Here are our most recent updates and announcements.
2015 BILLING & CERTIFICATE UPDATE
Membership dues billing has traditionally taken place in February with the due date at the end of May—when certificates expire. This year the APP changed the timing of when billing takes place and when membership dues are paid.
2015 certificates were issued in May of 2015 with no payment required from an existing member and are good until the end of 2015. Bills will be sent at the end of September, with membership dues for 2016 being due by the end of December 2015. The certificate received from this payment will go from January to December 2016. This will effectively move our billing cycle to the end of the year for all members.
Those new members paying initial dues in July-December, will not be billed for the following year, but will be issued a 2016 certificate along with the rest of paying members in December.
ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA COMPLIANCE CHECK
Notices were sent to Members this Spring who need to update their environmental criteria.
To ensure all of our members are operating at the current minimum standards, we are requiring that all current members who have a video walk through and environmental criteria older than two years provide an updated video walk through and submit updated environmental criteria.
Members who received this notice will need to submit these updates by January 1st, 2016. There will be no video processing fee with digital or hard copy submissions.
NEW LATE DUES POLICY
(2016 Billing Cycle: Notice of Membership Dues will be sent September 2015; and due by December 31, 2016.)
Any member who has failed to pay dues and/or provide evidence of membership certification and testing requirements (CPR certification, First Aid Certification, BBP certification, autoclave spore test results) by 6 months after the Membership Renewal due date will be required to re-apply in full with the Membership Committee.
The renewal fee will be the same as the yearly membership dues.
UPCOMING ELECTIONS
In the fall the Association will begin elections for three seats on the board. These seats are currently occupied by Brian Skellie, Ashley Misako, and Chris Glunt. Brian is not eligible for re-election at this time; Ashley Misako is able to be re-nominated/elected.
The APP will be sending out nomination forms in the Fall to voting members of the APP, which are business members and business members at large. This election is for two seats on the Board.
Once received, voting members will have 30 days to return nomination forms selecting two people from the list of eligible members as their choice. At that time, the office will send Nominees information about what it means to serve as a Board member, and paperwork including a form to return to the office to accept or deny their nomination.
After 30 days, ballots and bios of the nominees will be sent to all voting members. Please participate in the election and in your Association by voting! Members will have 30 days to return ballots to the office. Once the results are tabulated and the entire election is reviewed and certified, the APP will contact the nominees about the results. Those elected will attend a Board meeting (tentatively March), and take office in July at the Annual Conference.
Who is eligible to run?
Only voting members are eligible; for the APP these are Business Members and Business Members at Large. As specified by the APP’s bylaws, each Director can hold office for no more than three years in any given position, and can serve no more than two consecutive terms. If a member has filled two different seats in two consecutive elections, that person cannot immediately run again and must be off the Board for at least one election cycle before being eligible to serve again.
Nomination packets sent to members will have a list of eligible members to select from. And yes, you are allowed to nominate yourself.
What is the difference between an Officer & a Director?
The bylaws clearly outline the titles of the Officers: President, Secretary, and Chief Financial Officer (or Treasurer); but leave the other titles and job descriptions to the discretion of the Board itself. The bylaws further state the Officers may be members of the Board of Directors, but this is not required, as the Officers are elected to their positions by the Board of Directors. Officers are allowed to be compensated for their work; Directors are not. Officers are not subject to terms limits, unless also Board Members. The current Officers are Brian Skellie, President; Paul King, Treasurer; and Aaron Pollack, Secretary. However, of the Officers, only Brian is also a Director. Brian has voting rights as a Director and is subject to the 3 year term limit.
Is it important that I vote?
Yes. The Board of Directors, while working for the membership and the mission of the Association bring their own talents and experiences to the table. Every Board will govern a little differently or want to push the Association in different directions, have varied outreach interests, and/or see different opportunities available to the Association. As a voting member it is your right and responsibility to be sure those elected will do their very best, have a mission focus rather than a personal agenda, and have time and energy to devote to this important task. If the APP doesn’t get enough votes cast to have a quorum, the entire election has to be redone. This is an avoidable expense and time-suck from the Association. Your vote is important in many ways. Please remember to vote!
How do I know if I (or someone else) would make a good candidate for a Board position?
Ask/Answer these questions:
1. Do you have the time and energy?
All Board Members travel for APP board meetings, annual Conference, health conference/s, and miscellaneous travel such as membership assistance and Conference planning. Average time away from work is twenty five to thirty days per year. Most of the time, you will make your own travel arrangements, but you will be reimbursed your costs. It is estimated a Board Member will spend a minimum of ten hours per week on APP duties for three years.
2. Can you present yourself in a professional manner, verbally and in print? Can you present the APP’s stance even if it differs from your personal opinion?
Most Board Members provide interviews with the press when required, in a professional manner. Most Board Members contribute articles and promote article submission from the APP membership or other potentially informative parties for The Point and other APP publications or online settings.
All Board Members respond to emails from other Board Members, the employee, members, general public, etc. in a timely and professional fashion.
3. Have you been actively serving on a committee or have you volunteered, taught, or led a round table at the APP Conference?
All Board Members actively participate in ongoing projects and the APP educational Conference; including teaching classes and other duties as assigned. Having an ongoing history of performing these duties is the best preparation for serving as a Board Member.
4. Are you able to keep matters to yourself? Not gossip? Understand your behavior will be under scrutiny at all times? Behave professionally even when no one is watching? Keep your cool online? Not be drawn into arguments or into offering your opinion as separate from the APP’s position on something?
All Board Members must sign and abide by a confidentiality statement and statement of conduct. All Board Members must conduct themselves for the duration of their term, in a way that reflects the mission and professional attitude of the Association, acknowledging their position as a leader, role model, and spokesperson for the membership, organization, and industry at large.
It’s a big job and responsibility but it’s also hugely rewarding. Need more information? Talk to your current Board Members; they too wondered what it would be like, and now they most certainly know.
Website Update
Our web presence as an Association is constantly evolving to better serve our members and the public at large. Our newest version of our website has recently launched. Be sure to check it out: www.safepiercing.org
2016 APP Conference and Exposition
We are excited to announce the location and dates for the 2016 APP Conference and Exposition.
Where: Bally’s Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
When: July 24- July 29 2016
Can’t wait to see you all there!
